Olive Tree (song)

Last updated
"Olive Tree"
Olive Tree cover art - Peter Gabriel.jpg
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album I/O
Released
  • 1 August 2023 (bright-side mix)
  • 16 August 2023 (dark-side and in-side mixes)
Studio
Genre Alternative rock
Length5:59
Label
Songwriter(s) Peter Gabriel
Producer(s) Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
"So Much"
(2023)
"Olive Tree"
(2023)
"Love Can Heal"
(2023)

"Olive Tree" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel, released in August 2023 as the eighth single in promotion of his tenth studio album I/O . Since August has a blue moon, this is the first of two tracks that was released in August, the other being "Love Can Heal". The track has been described by Louder as "uptempo" and "jaunty". [1] Gabriel said of the song, "I wanted it to have some speed to it but I also wanted some mystery, too. I think it is a celebration in a way and there's a real sense of being alive." [2]

Contents

Similar to the title track, "I/O", Olive Tree is about being "plugged into nature and other minds". [3] Gabriel said that the song's message is about being "connected". [2] He said that we are too often self-centered, when "we only want to see and listen to the things that seem important and relevant to us and shut out the noise of everything else." [4] The narrative of the song is about being attuned to others' thoughts, which is expressed in Gabriel's hope that "we're no longer these islands that have our own private thoughts." [2] [5] [6]

This song is "also part of a separate brain-related project" that Gabriel was working on at the time. [2] [6]

The cover artwork was created by Barthélémy Toguo and titled Chroniques avec la Nature. Unlike most of the other artwork for i/o, this cover art is an original piece, created specifically for this track. [2]

Personnel

Orchestra

Charts

Chart performance for "Olive Tree"
Chart (2023)Peak
position
UK Singles Downloads (OCC) [7] 78

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References

  1. Ewing, Jerry (2023-08-01). "Listen to uptempo new Peter Gabriel single Olive Tree here". Louder. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Olive Tree". petergabriel.com. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  3. Gabriel. "Peter Gabriel Full Moon August 2023". YouTube. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  4. Brodssky, Rachel (August 2023). "Peter Gabriel – "Olive Tree"" . Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  5. "Peter Gabriel shares new 'i/o' track, "Olive Tree," for August's full moon". August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  6. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 August 2023.